News | April 2018

One Acadiana is a bolder, re-energized version of the former Greater Lafayette Chamber of Commerce and the leading economic organization for the nine-parish region of Acadiana. Whether you and your business are new to One Acadiana or you would like to rejoin your chamber, today is a great day to become a member.

Fill out a member application during the month of May and your business will receive immediate access to discounts from:

1. Give us a brief history of your company.

HDR celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2017. It started as a civil engineering firm and has since expanded to include architecture, environmental and construction services. We have more than 225 offices around the world and nearly 10,000 employees. Our roots in Louisiana go back to 1975 with offices currently in Lafayette, Baton Rouge, and Metairie.

Mike Tarantino has been named recipient of the 2018 Richard E. Baudoin Jr. "friend of business" award by the Junior Achievement of Acadiana Business Hall of Fame.

Mike — a graduate of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, a former Marine and a corporate banker — serves as president and CEO of the Iberia Industrial Development Foundation (IDF), which is the primary facilitator of economic and industrial development activities for Iberia Parish and marketing activities for the Port of Iberia and the Acadiana Regional Airport.

Crowley, LA – Today, OneAcadia, the designated economic development organization for Acadia Parish, with One Acadiana (1A), and SLEMCO announced a 17.72-acre site along the new Rice Capital Parkway Service Road in Crowley has been certified under the Louisiana Economic Development (LED) Certified Business Sites program.

CROWLEY — OneAcadia, the designated economic development organization for Acadia Parish, with One Acadiana and SLEMCO, announced a 17.72-acre site along the new Rice Capital Parkway Service Road in Crowley has been certified under the Louisiana Economic Development (LED) Certified Business Sites program. 

Working with partners across the region, One Acadiana’s site development efforts respond to the needs of site selectors and relocating businesses. Having a landing pad for businesses is a crucial ingredient to attracting jobs and investment to the Acadiana Region. 

Sue Soileau Durand has been chosen as a laureate in Junior Achievement of Acadiana's 21st annual Business Hall of Fame.

Durand is a native of Washington, Louisiana and a graduate of the Academy of Sacred Heart and the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.  

She was a Louisiana Licensed Real Estate Broker from 1982 until 2009. She is the president/CEO and chairman of the board of Washington State Bank and has been a member of the Board of Directors since 1983.  

Students at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette are getting a good deal on a college education.

That’s according to Forbes. The business magazine released its “Best Value Colleges 2018” rankings last week.

Editors first considered 650, four-year public and private universities, and then winnowed the list to 300. They did not consider for-profit colleges.

New Leaves. Same Roots.

Lafayette, LA - Lafayette Schools Credit Union has proudly served local educators and their families since 1954. Today, they continue that legacy of service with a new name. Lafayette Schools Credit Union is now Meritus Credit Union.

LAFAYETTE – Calling her a healthcare leader, activist and innovator who leaves a legacy of better healthcare for women and children, Women's & Children's Hospital paid tribute Monday to president and CEO Kathy J. Bobbs who passed away from an apparent heart attack on Saturday, April 21. She was 59.

Herbert E. Schilling II has been chosen as a laureate in Junior Achievement of Acadiana's 21st annual Business Hall of Fame.

"Herbie," as he is known to friends, was born Oct. 12, 1949, and is the only child of Herbert and Olga Richard Schilling.

Herbie's mother, Olga Richard Schilling of Jeanerette, was a 1932 graduate of Southwestern Louisiana Institute and received her Master’s degree from LSU. She was a professor at SLI/University of Southwestern Louisiana for 34 years.